Impact of Kenaf Fiber and Inorganic Nanofillers on Mechanical Properties of Epoxy-Based Nanocomposites for Sustainable Automotive Applications
S. Kaliappan, L. Natrayan
Abstract
<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Due to the increasing demand for lightweight and eco-friendly materials in the automotive sector, alternative fibers like kenaf are gaining attention as potential materials for car components. This study aims to evaluate the impact of fly ash and Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nanomaterials on the mechanical and thermomechanical properties of kenaf fiber-reinforced composites, particularly for automotive applications. Various composites were produced and tested using standard manual fabrication methods for key mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural strength, inter-laminar shear strength, hardness, and impact resistance. Adding kenaf fibers, fly ash, and Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nanofillers to epoxy composites demonstrated a noticeable improvement in the thermomechanical properties of the resulting material. This enhancement is attributed to improved interfacial bonding and uniform distribution of the nanofillers within the polymer matrix. In our analysis, Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nanofillers had a more significant impact on the composite's performance than fly ash. A comparative study of different composite formulations revealed that the C-type composite had superior tensile properties, exhibiting a tensile strength of 86.74 MPa and a modulus of 5120.78 MPa. The A-type composite excelled in flexural tests, showing a bending strength of 101.54 MPa and a modulus of 8690.75 MPa. Meanwhile, the B-type composite showcased the highest impact resistance, hardness, and ILSS values, recording 7.51 KJ/m<sup>2</sup> for impact, 69.47 D for hardness, and 29.14 MPa for ILSS. This research indicates that kenaf fiber composites reinforced with fly ash and Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> nanofillers are promising for automotive applications by offering enhanced mechanical and thermomechanical performance.</div></div>